Evaluasi dampak pengelolaan lahan terhadap kualitas aliran sungai dan pendapatan petani di Sub DAS Gobeh, Wonogiri, Jawa Tengah

Abstract

The majority of Indonesia’s population lives in rural areas and depends on agriculture for their livelihood, with a high level of dependence on land. This has made critical land and land productivity two key concerns in development planning. Up to the beginning of PELITA VII, Indonesia had more than 13 million hectares of critical land spread across 39 watersheds (Department of Forestry, 1997). These lands have very low productivity and are unable to sustainably support the livelihoods of the farming communities living on them.

In addition to natural factors, rapid population growth has played a major role in the emergence of critical lands. In their efforts to meet their needs, farmers with limited or no land attempt to acquire land by encroaching on forests and cultivating marginal, less fertile soils, even in hilly areas with steep slopes. On the other hand, relatively low income levels and limited knowledge among farmers have resulted in restricted adoption of soil and water conservation technologies.